Aperture type antennas are operational in a select bandwidth. They work by passing a select amount of energy through one or more apertures (such as a horn, reflector or a lens). Traditionally, aperture type antennas have been passive type antennas. However, increasingly advanced communication systems require antenna systems with capabilities that extend beyond those found in a standard passive type antenna. For example, advanced communication systems may require high data rates, multiple beam apertures, beam steered capacity, agile frequency performance and anti-jamming capability. Active type antennas have been developed to address the needs of these advanced communication systems. These active type antennas typically have a reconfigurable aperture that allows the antenna to change its performance characteristics depending on the shape and size of the aperture.
Reconfigurable aperture antennas require a method of providing the switching aperture with data instructions and power. This must be accomplished without inducing a negative impact on the antennas' radiative characteristics. Since directly integrating a conductive wired network into the radiate face would degrade an antenna significantly, some have in the past tried to utilize high impedance networks to drive voltage into the aperture. However, resistive methods pose several difficult manufacturing challenges and render the aperture rigid and fragile under normal handling. Moreover, the resistive methods typically require the routing of high voltages, induce non-negligible loss in the gain and do not lend themselves to fast reconfiguration times due to parasitic capacitance associated with their layout. Other methods that have been attempted include various wireless techniques such as inductive or optical coupling. Unfortunately, inductive methods also do not enable fast reconfiguration times and often alter the aperture's radiative characteristics making it difficult to predict the antenna pattern. Moreover, past optical methods require that they be supplemented by resistive methods to provide adequate power to operate the reconfiguration electronics. However, as indicated above, resistive methods induce non-negligible losses in the gain and do not do not lend themselves to fast reconfiguration times due to parasitic capacitance associated with their layout.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an optical interface with a photoconductor that is capable of simultaneously providing fast data rates and sufficient power for operation of a reconfigurable aperture without the limitations of the prior art.